AWS Cloud storage services
Storing your data with a cloud service provider rather than on a local system.
Can get data from any location that has Internet access.
Workers don’t need to use the same computer to access data nor do they have to carry
around physical storage devices.
A cloud storage system just needs one data server connected to the Internet. A
subscriber copies files to the server over the Internet, which then records the data.
When a client wants to retrieve the data, he or she accesses the data server with a
web-based interface, and the server then either sends the files back to the client or
allows the client to access and manipulate the data itself.
Providers
Google Docs allows users to upload documents, spreadsheets, and presentations to
Google’s data servers. Those files can then be edited using a Google application.
Web email providers like Gmail, Hotmail, and Yahoo! Mail store email messages on
their own servers. Users can access their email from computers and other devices
connected to the Internet.
Flickr and Picasa host millions of digital photographs. Users can create their own online
photo albums.
YouTube hosts millions of user-uploaded video files.
Facebook and MySpace are social networking sites and allow members to post pictures
and other content. That content is stored on the company’s servers.
MediaMax and Strongspace offer storage space for any kind of digital data.
1) Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service)
Is a scalable, high-speed, low-cost web-based service designed for online backup and
archiving of data and application programs.
It allows users to upload, store, and download any type of files up to 5 TB in size.
This service allows the subscribers to access the same systems that Amazon uses to
run its own web sites.
The subscriber has control over the accessibility of data, i.e. privately/publicly
accessible.
FEATURES
Low cost and Easy to Use − Using Amazon S3, the user can store a large amount of
data at very low charges.
Secure − Amazon S3 supports data transfer over SSL and the data gets encrypted
automatically once it is uploaded. The user has complete control over their data by
configuring bucket policies using AWS IAM.
Scalable − Using Amazon S3, there need not be any worry about storage concerns. We
can store as much data as we have and access it anytime.
Higher performance − Amazon S3 is integrated with Amazon CloudFront, that
distributes content to the end users with low latency and provides high data transfer
speeds without any minimum usage commitments
Integrated with AWS services − Amazon S3 integrated with AWS services include
Amazon CloudFront, Amazon CLoudWatch, Amazon Kinesis, Amazon RDS, Amazon
Route 53, Amazon VPC, AWS Lambda, Amazon EBS, Amazon Dynamo DB, etc.
2) Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS)
Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) is a block storage system used to store persistent
data.
Amazon EBS is suitable for EC2 instances by providing highly available block level
storage volumes.
It has three types of volume, i.e. General Purpose (SSD-Solid State Drives),
Provisioned IOPS (SSD), and Magnetic. These three volume types differ in
performance, characteristics, and cost.
BENEFITS
Reliable and secure storage − Each of the EBS volumes will automatically respond to
its Availability Zone to protect from component failure.
Secure − Amazon’s flexible access control policies allow it to specify who can access
which EBS volumes. Access control plus encryption offers a strong defense-in-depth
security strategy for data.
Higher performance − Amazon EBS uses SSD technology to deliver data results with
consistent I/O performance of application.
Easy data backup − Data backup can be saved by taking point-in-time snapshots of
Amazon EBS volumes.
3) CloudFront
CloudFront is a CDN (Content Delivery Network).
It retrieves data from Amazon S3 bucket and distributes it to multiple datacenter
locations.
It delivers the data through a network of data centers called edge locations.
The nearest edge location is routed when the user requests for data, resulting in lowest
latency, low network traffic, fast access to data, etc.
FEATURES
Fast − The broad network of edge locations and CloudFront caches copies of content
close to the end users that results in lowering latency, high data transfer rates and low
network traffic. All these make CloudFront fast.
Simple − It is easy to use.
Can be used with other AWS Services − Amazon CloudFront is designed in such a
way that it can be easily integrated with other AWS services, like Amazon S3, Amazon
EC2.
Cost-effective − Using Amazon CloudFront, we pay only for the content that you
deliver through the network, without any hidden charges and no up-front fees.
Elastic − Using Amazon CloudFront, we need not worry about maintenance. The
service automatically responds if any action is needed, in case the demand increases or
decreases.
Reliable − Amazon CloudFront is built on Amazon’s highly reliable infrastructure, i.e. its
edge locations will automatically re-route the end users to the next nearest location, if
required in some situations.
Global − Amazon CloudFront uses a global network of edge locations located in most
of the regions.
